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(No Model.) t 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. A. LEBLANC. METHOD OF EXTRAOTING CANEJUICE AND APPARATUS THEREFOR.

. No. 459,496. Patented Sept. 15, 1891.

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A. LEBLANG. METHOD OF E-XTRAGTING c NE JUICE AND APPARATUS THEREFOR. No.459,496. Patented Sept, 15, 1891.

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I NITED STATES PATENT ence.

ALFREDO LEBLANO, OF HAVANA, CUBA.

METHOD OF EXTRACTING CANE-JUICE AND APPARATUS THEREFOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 459,496, datedSeptember 15, 1891.

Application filed December 21, 1889. Serial No. 334,510. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALFREDO LEBLANO, a citizen of Spain, residing atHavana, Province of Havana, Island of Cuba, have invented a certain newand useful Method of Extracting Sugar-Cane Juice and Apparatus Therefor,

of which the following is a description, reference being had to theaccompanying draw by extending such processes does not economiw callycompare with the cost of securing such gain. For example, the more thebagasse is rolled or compressed and the drier it becomes the greater isthe tendency to absorption of the juices by the crushed bagasse, and apoint is reached in the ordinary process of expressin g when it is nolonger economical to expend the power and time requisite to secure theremaining small quantity of juice.

The object of my invention is to submit the cane to a process oftreatment by which its juices will be quickly and wholly extracted, oras nearly so as may be desirable, and with an economical expenditure ofpower and time.

The invention consists, first, in suitably crushing the cane andimmediately conducting it to and through a fluid jet or current, whichjet is forced into and through the body of bagasse as it leaves thecrushing devices, and thereby drives out the cane-juices, and, secondly,it consistsof an expressing-mill having feeding-rolls which may also becrushingrolls, a passage or conduit leading from said feeding-rollsformed by 4 or connected with devices for forcing a current or jet ofair,

steam, water, or other fluid through the,

crushed cane or bagasse as it passes along such passage.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 represents the end elevation of amill adapted to carry out my invention. Fig. 2 is a verticalcross-section of the same. Fig. 3 is a modified detail view of the partscomposing what I term the aspiratorsthat is, the parts forming theconduit leading from the feeding or crushing rolls, and which constitutethe means for extracting the juices of the cane by fluid pressure.

The letter A indicates the groundwork of the machine, which may beofmasonry or other suitable material.

B is the feeding-chute by which the cane is delivered to the first pairof rolls 0 D, D E

being the second pair of crushing-rolls, F G the third or final pair,and H the dischargechute. These rolls are adjustably j ournaled inblocks 1, which blocks are supported in proper positions by the checksor housings J. The mill-cheeks J are surrounded and held together by thering or hoop K. This ring or hoop has any suitable means of attachmentor connections with the groundwork whereby the mill as a whole issupported. By the use of such a strap or ring the rolls are held firmlytogether and without depending upon the main supports of the machine, asis usual. The strains set up are equalized and confined to the housingsby the rings K. Furthermore, this construction facilitates the erectionof the machine, as the rolls may be introduced through the housings andsidewise to the longitudinal center of the machine. I

have shown this ring or hoop as circular in outline; but manifestly itmay be of other shapes, so long as it is a continuous frame and confinesthe strains exerted by the rolls.

L is a pan for collecting the juice as it drips from the rolls. y

M represents a steam box or injector which is arranged between the rolls0 and E, so that a conduit or passage-way'is formed for conducting thecrushed cane from the first pair of rolls to the second pair. The faceof this box over which the bagasse passes is perforated, and the box isconnected with a source of steam or some liquid. By these means thebagasse is injected with steam or any liquid and so moistened betweenthe first two pressures, a step that assists in the extraction of thejuices, and which is fully explained in United States Letters Patent No.30i,012, issued to me August 26, 1884.

The method of extracting the cane-juice thus far described and aspracticed in the present machine produces the maximum amount of product,or that may be readily obtained by the preliminary pressures; but so faras concerns the preliminary crushing of the cane and the first steps ofextracting the juices most readily expressed in their relation to theprocess of the present invention (which I shall next describe) anymethodmay be employed ,though I prefer that here given. It is desirable onlyto have the cane crushed and the greater amount of the juices removedbefore the application of the present process,

which is for the purposeof removing the final 1 products that byordinary methods aredifficult to obtain.

N represents what I term .aspirators. They are box-like structuresproperly supported between the second and third pairs of rolls, so as toform a conduit or passage for the bagasse from one pair-to the other.The

faces 0 of the boxes are directly opposite each other. The boxes areattached to any proper source of air, steam,or other fluid un clerpressure or exhaust. Usually steam or air will be used, and a pressureof the fluid will be maintained in one box, while an ex- In lieu ofusing fluid-pressure on one side and an exhaust on the other, bothaspira-tors may be caused to exhaust or draw into them the air, and ofcourse with the air the juices of the cane. So, too, the aspirators maybe constructed with two chambers in each, as seen in Fig. 3, and onechamber may operate in conjunction or each in conjunction with thechambers of a similarly-constructed 0p positely-arranged aspirator, orany two chambers of oppositely-arranged aspirators may be workedalternately with pressure and exhaust. Furthermore, a single aspiratormay be alone employed, when obviously it would be worked to draw in air,or on the exhaust principle; but if it have two chambers they maysupplement each other by a direct or alternating action. However theaspirators be operated, it is to be noted that the cane-juice isextracted by causing a fluid jet or current under pressure to pass intoand out from the bagasse and while the bagasse is being conducted pastthe jet after being crushed.

The aspirators may be variously modified in construction and arrangementrelatively to the crushing-rolls, and accordingly I do not limit myselfto any particular form; but it is essential that the aspirators belocated close to the crushing-rolls in order that the bagasse as itissues from the rolls be immediately conducted between the aspiratorsand through the fluid jet or jets, so that it will be acted upon by thejet before the juices expressed by the rolls can be absorbed by thespongy mass of bagasse fiber.

I am aware that it is not new to use perforated plates or like devicesin the bagassepassages of a cane-mill for the purpose of allowing thejuices of the cane to escape or for the purpose of injecting,moistening, or washing the bagasse between pressures or previous to apressure; also, that it is not new to dissolve the j uices of crushedcane by steam under pressure in a closed vessel and preliminarily to theremoval of the juices of the crushed cane, and I do not claim any suchprocess or the appliances for practicing the same.

What is claimed as new is- 1. The herein-described process of extractingsugar-cane juices, consisting in crushing the cane and as the crushedcane leaves the crushing devices-conducting it to and through a fluidjet or current which is forced into and through the passing body ofbagasse to carry off the juices, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

2. The herein-described mechanism for extracting cane-juice, the sameconsisting of I ALFREDO LEBLANC.

Witnesses:

Toni: ROBLEDA, GABRIEL PICHARDO.

